One important service that the existing textbook companies provide is editing. That's the gap that seems to be unaddressed by having professors self publish.
Style editing is usually detrimental IME. Especially when the style editor doesn't understand the content and is just applying typographical rules.
And content editing is usually done by fellow professors or students. Which if the book is open source will happen anyways as new professors use the book in their courses and notice errors.
Editing for content or style?
Style editing is usually detrimental IME. Especially when the style editor doesn't understand the content and is just applying typographical rules.
And content editing is usually done by fellow professors or students. Which if the book is open source will happen anyways as new professors use the book in their courses and notice errors.